The extraordinary meeting of the GECF Executive Board was held on Thursday, September 23, with the agenda of reviewing the programs of the GECF new Secretary General candidates by video conference.

At the meeting, which lasted more than seven hours, five candidates for the post of Secretary General of the GECF presented their programs and answered questions.

Five countries - Iran, Algeria, Trinidad and Tobago, Libya and Nigeria - have named nominees for the post of GECF Secretary General.

Hojjatullah Ghanimifard, the Iranian candidate, with his prior preparation and technical support, very effectively presented his plans for leading the GECF, which was considered by the executive board members.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Assembly's Articles of Association, the Executive Board will nominate the qualified candidates to the next Ministerial Meeting for decision-making.

Yury Sentyurin is currently the GECF Secretary General and his mission will end at the end of 2021. For four years (two two-year terms), he was the secretary general of the assembly after Mohammad Hossein Adeli.

Members of GECF account for 44% of world gas production, 67% of world gas reserves, 64% of pipeline transportation and 66% of liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade.

Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela and the UAE are 12 main members of the GECF, with the Netherlands, Norway, Iraq, Oman, Peru and Azerbaijan as observer members.